A Bumpy Road
by ilovetvalot
Summary: Morgan and Aaron reach a bumpy patch in their relationship. Second in my Hotch/Morgan series. Follows "Fruit of the Forbidden Tree". Not necessary to read first.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: We've got several notes for you today, guys, so hang with us for a second. **

_**First of all, we'd like to talk to you about our next challenge! **__**Wanna fun way to celebrate Halloween this year? Join us for our Round 5 Challenge – The Candy Land Adventure on Chit Chat on Author's Corner. Our challenges are open to any author, regardless of experience…and we have a spot ready for you. All you have to do is suggest a CM pairing and the name of a popular candy. We'll take all the suggestions, present them to the Great Pumpkin, then assign you a pairing & candy type at the first of October. You'll have a month to write your story, and it can be whatever you choose…drabble or epic, romance or friendship. And it does not have to be about Halloween or candy! For more information and to sign up, visit our forum, Chit Chat on Author's Corner, and click on Round 5 challenge!**_

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**A Bumpy Road**

**Chapter One**

No road worth traveling is going to be bump-free.

How many times had he heard his father say that when he was a kid? Hundreds? Thousands? Whatever the number, it had occurred so often that the pithy saying had made an indelible impression on him. He supposed that was why he continued each day to fight the obstacles standing between him and the guy he'd easily managed to fall in love with.

How he'd managed to make the descent into the bowels of love, he wasn't sure. It certainly hadn't been on purpose. Aaron Hotchner was a complicated, complex man that rarely revealed his emotions regarding anything. Whether they were talking about their relationship or what they were going to eat for dinner, Derek unwittingly remained in the dark until the pain in the ass deigned to tell him. It was easier for him to read an unsub than his lover most days of the week.

And it was getting old.

Because while he definitely knew his own mind, knowing that of his lover was damn near impossible. And he'd grown weary of trying to decipher the moods of the older man. Christ, he'd been attempting to navigate Aaron Hotchner's psyche for almost a year, and he was no closer to making a map of it now than he had been on day one.

Hell, he wasn't even sure Aaron perceived what they shared AS a relationship. For all the hell he knew, the other man thought the only thing they had in common was fantastic sex and libidos that didn't quit. Sure, he wanted to believe it went deeper than that. But, honestly, he had no way of knowing. And questioning their somewhat shared life together was off the table. To pursue that line of thought would be madness.

Wouldn't it?

Shoving a frozen pizza into the oven as he heard keys scraping the lock on the front door of his home, Derek smiled involuntarily. It always gave him a small thrill to hear Hotch using the key he'd given him a couple of months ago to his house. It had seemed like a step, as small one but at least a move forward.

One he had hoped would be reciprocated.

He'd hoped in vain. Hotch might be willing to share his body...his time...but not his inner sanctum. Derek could count on one hand the number of times the two of them had stayed at Aaron's place over the past year. One goddamn hand.

Slamming the oven door closed on that thought, he heard Aaron drop his briefcase by the front door with a dull thunk, heard the clang of his keys hitting the bowl on the entryway table. Normal, everyday sounds...but, this evening they infuriated him...mocked him. Because what he and Aaron Hotchner shared was anything but normal.

His lover wouldn't allow it to be.

"Derek?" he heard Aaron softly call through the hallway, that deep voice resonating throughout the house.

Remaining silent as he struggled to get his frayed temper under some semblance of control, he heard Hotch walk into the kitchen behind him.

"Hey," Hotch said, his voice steady and even, per his usual, "I called."

"I heard," Derek grunted in reply. Rising his glass in the sink, he jerked his head toward the fridge. "I picked up some beer for the game tonight if you want one," he stated tersely, his shoulders tensing as he saw Aaron's shadow fall across the counter for a bare second.

Frowning at Derek's turned back, Hotch reached for the handle to the fridge blindly. Something was definitely off here. "You okay?" Hotch asked, reaching inside the refrigerator for a longneck bottle.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Derek shrugged, staring out the kitchen window to where Clooney frolicked in the back yard. Damn, why couldn't his life be as simple as that mutt's?

"Derek," Hotch sighed tiredly, gripping the bottle tighter, "turn around and talk to me," he urged, touching the taller mans shoulder and urging him around.

Damn it. This is how it always went down. He'd turn around, open his mouth to say something and get distracted by the shape of Hotch's lips or the dark flash of his eyes. He'd lose the urge to fight in favor of losing himself in his lover's embrace. Shrugging Aaron's hand off, Derek shook his head. "Not tonight, Aaron. The pizza will be done in a few minutes," he said with a nod to the heating oven.

"Forget the pizza, and talk to me," Hotch ordered, using his implacable Unit Chief voice.

Finally turning to stare into Hotch's dark brown eyes, Morgan said softly, but unyieldingly, "Look around, Aaron. We're in my house and off the clock now. I'm not your subordinate here."

Taken aback, Hotch replied, his tone modulated, "I never said you were."

"But, lately, you don't treat me like I'm not," Derek retorted, his black eyes flashing as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Lately, everything is on your terms."

Cocking his head as clinical eyes assessed the man standing in front of him, Aaron knew better than to speak immediately. After all, a decade of marriage had taught him a few things. And one very important lesson was that sometimes it was better to swallow your tongue than speak during an emotionally charged moment.

"That's it, Aaron," Derek said sarcastically, shoving away from the counter. "Clam up. It's what you do best."

Now why did that sound so damned familiar, Hotch asked himself bitterly. Breathe, Aaron, he reminded himself as anger churned deep in his gut, his muscles clenching violently. Don't say anything you'll regret later. Watching as Derek stormed out of the room, Hotch shook his head blankly. Reaching out and twisting off the oven dial with a ruthless flick of his wrist, he paused for a moment, suppressing the urge to hurl his glass bottle across the room.

But it wouldn't solve anything and it would make a hell of a mess. No, better to remain focused. Controlled. Whatever was going through Derek's mind right now, Aaron knew he couldn't push him.

Waiting a full five minutes, Hotch finally flicked the light switch in the kitchen off and went in search of Derek. Because whatever the other man's problem was with him or their relationship, those ten years of marriage had taught him another far more important lesson.

A festering problem would never resolve on its own.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: As you all know by now, we are in full swing on the Profiler's Choice Awards hosted on "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". And we'd like to offer an extra incentive to get those nominations rolling in. For the next five people to complete the nomination ballot in its entirety, I would be happy to write a oneshot of your pairing preference (hetero, slash or femslash, doesn't matter!). We have an abundance of incredible stories and authors to choose from this year and we have already received many wonderful nominations. Just to refresh your memory though, tonnie2001969 and myself (ilovetvalot) have removed ourselves from eligibility in the interest of avoiding all appearances of self-promotion. But, we want to make this an incredible experience for each one of you and give you a well-rounded final voting selection to choose from. So let's all put on our reading caps and pick our favorites! **

**Also, don't forget to sign up for our newest challenge at the forum. We're honoring Halloween with our first ever "Candy Land Challenge" and signups run through September 30th! Details are at the forum!**

**We also have a great new interview with another fellow CM author this week. Come and get to know THUNDERBRAT.**

**As always, guys, Happy Reading!**

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**A Bumpy Road**

**Chapter Two**

It only took a moment to track his sullen lover into the den of his small home. Shrouded in shadows, Derek Morgan sat on the couch, staring, unblinking at the darkened television screen on the wall. Watching his lover's shuttered face, Hotch tried to pinpoint the event that had led to the current attitude being exhibited by the man whose bed he'd been sharing for the past year.

Yes, the last few weeks had been tougher than the norm at the BAU. Back to back cases had kept them on the road for longer than usual. But nothing had actually happened out there to bring on this change in Morgan's nature. At least, nothing he could think of. Frowning as he took a few steps into the room, he remained silent, hoping the other man would say something that would clarify the current situation.

But, nothing. Derek Morgan was taking a page out of Aaron Hotchner's book...his face remained a stone, his eyes revealing nothing, his posture rigid.

"Derek," Hotch finally said softly, letting out a short sigh, "Will you please just talk to me?"

God, Derek thought bitterly, those words sounded almost alien flowing off Hotch's lips. Talk to him? Isn't that what he'd been trying to do for months? Gritting his teeth, he muttered, "I've been talking to you, Aaron. For months. The problem is, you never listen. Oh, you might HEAR me, but you aren't listening."

"That isn't true," Aaron denied automatically. But meeting Derek Morgan's glittering eyes across the small room, he knew he might have misspoken. He supposed it was true that he shied away from deep, meaningful conversation with people, even those close to him, when it didn't involve one of their cases. But years of experience had taught him that his opinions weren't generally needed or wanted. So, he kept his mouth shut.

"Okay," Aaron sighed, holding up a hand, "Maybe you have a point. But I DO want to talk about this, Derek. A lot."

"Why? Why would what I think be important to you now, Aaron? It obviously hasn't been for months," Derek snapped, hating the waspish sting in his voice. Christ, he sounded like some shrill woman, and that was definitely not the part he wished to play in their convoluted relationship.

Narrowing his eyes on Morgan, Hotch said stiffly, "I'm not sure what you're trying to imply here, Derek, but..."

"I'm not implying a fucking thing, Aaron. I'm telling you straight up. We've been doing whatever the fuck this is between us for a year. A year, man!"

"Yes," Hotch nodded slowly, keeping his eyes trained on the younger man, "and up until tonight I thought we were both pretty satisfied with the arrangement. Am I wrong?"

"Christ, man, you don't see it, do you?" Morgan growled, his fists clenching against his thighs as he stared at the jackass he'd fallen in love with.

"See what?" Hotch retorted, his lips compressing in a thin line as his anger built.

"I love you," Derek bit out, the declaration stated with about as much passion as he might use in describing the week's weather. "For months now, I've been trying to show you that...to make you feel it. And for a while, I thought I was getting through to you, but I guess I haven't."

Heartbeat thudding heavily in his chest at Morgan's hasty confession, Hotch felt a warmth filling him. He was loved. By his best friend. He'd suspected it, but he never dared hope that he'd hear the strong man in front of him confess it. In ways, it had been easier not knowing for sure...easier to hold himself apart back except in those most intimate moments. "Derek," Hotch began quietly, his eyes softening as he stared at the clenched face meeting his gaze squarely.

"No," Derek said, shaking his head, holding up a hand to stall whatever words the man might be thinking of uttering. "You refuse to let me in, Aaron. You'll let me get so close to you and I meet that brick wall around your heart every fucking time. And I'm fucking sick and tired to beating my head against it. Whether it's your unwillingness to allow me in your home or the way you portray our relationship to Jack..."

"Whoa," Hotch stopped him, stepping forward. "What about my son?"

Rising to face Hotch, Morgan growled, "You know what, Hotch. You won't let me near the kid alone. I can count on one fucking hand," Derek shouted, jabbing his hand in Hotch's face, "how many times you've trusted me, the guy you've screwed for over a year, with him. You're afraid to leave me in the same room with him!"

"That statement is completely untrue," Hotch disagreed, shaking his head vigorously. "Derek, Jack is at an impressionable age. If he suspects something unusual between his daddy and his Uncle Derek, he's going to ask questions," Hotch argued. "It's got nothing to do with you."

"It's got EVERYTHING to do with me, damn it!" Derek exploded, seeing red at Aaron's weak explanation. "Fucking EVERYTHING!"

"Would you please calm down and start being the rational man I know you are?" Hotch asked tightly, flashbacks to his arguments with Haley crashing through him. He'd never been able to reason with her either when she was angry.

Seething, Derek stiffened. "You callin' me irrational, Hotch?" Derek asked dangerously, his dark eyes narrowing.

"Let's just say that you're doing a remarkable impression of my ex-wife right now, Derek," Hotch answered, his own voice pitched low.

"Yeah," Derek snorted, "Well, maybe Haley wasn't as bad as I first thought. Especially if you were this much of a tight-lipped bastard with her." Seeing Aaron's nostrils flare at the direct hit he'd taken, Morgan shook his head. "You've had a year to figure out what to tell Jack, Aaron. A YEAR."

"Up until tonight, I didn't even know how you felt for sure," Hotch retorted defensively, his shoulders drawn back.

"Yeah, you did," Morgan countered softly, "In your heart you did. The problem is, you haven't figured out how you feel, and it's impossible to explain it to your kid if you don't even know."

"Derek, please," Hotch said pleadingly, reaching for his lover's hand, realizing that he needed the contact.

Jerking back, Derek shook his head. "Nuh uh," Derek said vehemently, meeting Hotch's eyes, "Not this time."

Allowing his hand to fall to his side uselessly, Hotch carefully watched Derek's face. "What?"

"This can't be fixed by a nice fuck in my bedroom, Aaron," Derek spat, the muscle in his jaw flexing as he spoke.

"It been more than fucking to me for months, Derek," Hotch confessed gently. "A lot more."

"Great," Morgan shrugged, his tone expressing that the situation was anything but. "That doesn't change a thing though."

"What are you telling me here, Derek?" Hotch asked, uneasiness climbing his spine as the intensity of Morgan's words penetrated.

"I'm telling you to get the fuck out of my house, Aaron. And don't come back until you know what the hell you want out of me...what the fuck it is that you want for yourself," Morgan replied with a quiet strength. "Then, maybe we can both make some decisions."

Caught off guard, Hotch's eyes widened. "You want me to leave?"

"For tonight, yeah. Go home and think, Aaron. Figure out who and what it is that you want. Then, we'll talk," Derek replied, keeping his voice level and even.

Seeing the determination glinting in his lover's eyes, Hotch nodded, turning and grabbing his keys and briefcase in a graceful movement. Facing Derek one last time as he opened the door, he said softly, "This isn't over."

And hearing the click of a closing door shattering the silence, Derek Morgan hoped like hell Aaron Hotchner meant what he said.

_**FINIS**_

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_**Author's Note 2 - Also guys, please don't forget that if you'd like to advertise the awards on your own profile pages or stories, there's a short blurb on my (ilovetvalot) and Tonnie's (tonnie2001969) profile page for you to copy and paste if you choose! Thanks again for reading!**_


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